The Salvation Army in Muskegon seeks donations amidst surge in food need

The Salvation Army, at 1221 Shonat, is seeking food and monetary donations from the public in hopes of meeting a growing need for food assistance in Muskegon.

MUSKEGON, MI – A surge in providing food assistance, continuing a year-long trend, has left The Salvation Army in Muskegon in need of donations.

The Salvation Army officials at the local office describe the situation as “food is flying off the shelves” with a 50 percent increase from last month’s requests. Over the first 10 days of April, 86 families sought food assistance, surpassing the April 2010 total already.

“The shelves in our pantry, like many cupboards in Muskegon County, are close to bare,” said Peggy Ferris, The Salvation Army Food Pantry coordinator.

The Salvation Army is seeking help collecting food for the pantry. Food items can be dropped off 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday at the center, 1221 Shonat, and monetary donations can be mailed to P.O. Box 1116, Muskegon, MI 49443.

The food pantry is designed as a safety net for families and individuals in the Muskegon County area. Those seeking food assistance are served by The Salvation Army 12:30-4 p.m. Monday-Friday.

For the fiscal year, which began in October, The Salvation Army in Muskegon has served 1,182 clients. By comparison, 1,651 families were served for the previous 12-month period.